Wine Flights: Torrentes

By now most wine drinkers has heard of Argentina's famous Malbec... the red wine that practically put Argentina on the map for wine lovers.  Well tonight I decided to branch out to the white of the country and test its up and coming Torrontes.  With this white, Argentina hopes to put itself on par with California's Chardonnay. Such an ambitious goal was definitely worth a taste... and taste we did. The following were our chooses:
1.) Crios De Susana Balbo Torrontes
2.) Finca La Martina Torrontes
3.) Bodega Catena Zapata Torrontes Alamos

Out of the glass the Crios was slight yellow in color. The aroma had a strong citrus smell resembling pinot griog yet on the palate the wine was slightly sweet and crisp. Overall it was a mutually loved wine by the whole party.

The Finca La Martina was extremely light in comparison. In fact it was so light that one guest commented that it was almost like drinking spring water. Even the color was lighter and more translucent. The general consensus was indifference for the wine, but it was pretty drinkable, especially on a warm summer night.

The final wine was the Bodega Catena, which surprisingly resembled more of a Sauvignon Blanc.  The wine which couldn't have been more different than the previous two was highly acidic. The initial sharp aroma was followed by a strong mineral flavor on the palate.  Though a few at the party did enjoy the wine, many thought it paled in comparison to the other two.

At the end it was the Crios that many agreed they would seek out at the wine store during their next visit.  Luckily for it's presence the Torrontes has been well accepted and soon I imagine a common showing at dinning room tables.

Last but not least no tasting is complete without some hors d'oeuvres...

Angel Hair in a Mushrrom Ragu Sauce

Smoked Salmon w/ Creme Fraiche & Pickled Onions

Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil w/ an Asian twist

Salmon Mousse

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Cheatsheet on Cooking With Wine

I personally can never remember what wines are typically the best to cook with certain foods... hence when I came across this cheatsheet I thought why not post it and never have to guess again at my next meal!


Tips on matching wine with food when cooking:

If the recipe calls for red...
1.) Full-bodied red wine - Cabernat, Bordeaux, Syrah & Zinfandel
2.) Young, robust red wine - Rioja/Tempranillo, Beaujolais Nouveau
3.) Medium-bodied red wine - Merlot, Shiraz & Chianti

If the recipe calls for white...
1.) Dry white wine - Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc or dry Riseling
2.) Fruity white wine - Gewurztraminer, Riesling or Viognier

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As Seen On Hell's Kitchen : Wine and Food Pairing #2

About a year ago, I had my first experience with Beef Wellington. It was at a restaurant by work that we decided to go to for a work dinner.  Though I really can't recall much from the dinner, I remember the Wellington being like nothing I've tried before. As if a nice juicy steak wasn't enough, some master culinary mind decided to cover the whole thing in mushroom and prosciutto wrap with a puff pastry.  At first bite I told myself I had to make this.  But of course as with many other things in life, time passes and eventually that thought faded into the past... that is until one day I inadvertently clicked on Hell's Kitchen.
As I layed in bed watching Chef Gordon Ramsay screaming over a piece of undercooked Beef Wellington I remember how I had once wanted to take on that task myself (the cooking that is). In addition someone has also managed to ruin beautiful bay scallops by overcooking them... a task that always seems like a no brainier to me... so it was set, I was determined to mimic this exact meal!!!

Appetizer: Seared Bay Scallops with a Pea & Mint Puree Paired with a light white from France
   

The Mas Carlot was light with a strong hint of fruity aroma.  Paired with the scallops it brought out the sweetness of the scallops without overpowering it's delicate flavor.  The puree which I was a little hesitant on initially was mild and sweet and accompanied the dish beautifully.  The subtle hint of fresh mint gave the dish an added layer of re-freshness.












Entree: Beef Wellington with a side of Bok Choy Drizzled with a Shallot Red Wine Reduction Paired with a Cabernet Sauvignon

Fresh out the Oven

Inside of my Beef Wellington

Perhaps one of the most tricky aspect of this dish is the timing of the beef in the oven.  Since you can really only cut into it once, after the initial incision, what you see is what you get.
Hence understanding how your oven works is pretty crucial here.  In my case I think I lucked out as 30mins in the oven produced this result.  A meal this heavy required a Cabernat that was full bodied with strong tannins...  The Bogle was unfortunately not that type of Cab. In fact it was on the light side for a Cab though still heavy enough to distinguish itself as one. When paired with the steak it failed to cut through the fattiness and left an extremely rich taste on the palate even after several sips. All in all a fairly decent meal and one that I would definitely consider making again.                                                                                           

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Wine and Food Challenge

So today at work while reading some recipes on bloomberg I came across a new pairing idea, 12 different ethnic cuisines stretched out for 6 month. One targeted cuisine every other week served in a three course meal, paired with a wine that best suits its aroma and taste. As for the 12 courses I decided on the 12 that I love the most and have the most untried recipes laying around!!

-Korean
-Italian
-French
-Latin American
-Contemporary American
-Chinese
-Southeast Asian
-Mexican
-Eastern European
-Belgium
-Indian
-African

The challenge starts Nov. with pictures and reviews to be post shortly after!!

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Battle of the Prawns : Wine and Food Pairing #1

With the temperature reaching past 100 degrees outside, tonight seemed like the perfect night to stay in and try a few new recipes and wine pairing.  Normally red would be my default choice, however summer seems as good as any to venture out and try the whites and roses of the world...


The first dish of the night was a light risotto,  topped with buttery prawns and a side of lightly tossed fennel salad.  The wine of choice was a 09 Toasted Head Chardonnay from California, which I had decide to try based a few recent recommendations.  At first taste, the wine was not as crisp as typical of Chardonnays but actually slightly creamy, which seems to have suggested that it was aged in oak instead of steel barrels.  When mixed with the dish, the creaminess of the risotto further revealed that characteristic of the wine, making the dish a rich yet still delicate meal.

The next course could not have been any more different as the prawn was slightly sauteed in a sherry sauce with shallots and poblano chile. For this dish, I've decided to pair with a Sangiovese Blend, the Barone Riscasoli Aliba Toscana to be exact.  The Sangiovese grape, the dominate grape of Tuscany is typically delicate and high in acidity and this wine proved to be no exception. The wine was fruity yet tart, which I hoped to complement the spicy nature of the dish.  Unfortunately the chiles lacked any significant heat to truly bring out the sweetness of the rose wine, making the pairing slightly lackluster.

Overall, my first wine and food pairing wasn't too bad I guess, no real catastrophic events, and I managed to finish with all my fingers in one piece.... (for those of you that came to my first dinner party you'll understand exactly what is meant by this! )

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Introduction

To all my friends... As many of you guys are already aware I've developed a new passion for wine. That, mixed with my pre-existing love for world food and cultures has enticed me to log my upcoming adventures. So in the pipeline I'm hoping to soon start hosting quarterly wine flights and gourmet dinner parties with all of you guys!!! In the mean time I hope everyone is enjoying great food, wine and company as life is too short to be wasted on mediocrity!

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